Indispensable for art-lovers and history-buffs, this Jane's Smart Art Audio Guide is the smart way to visit Antwerp's beautiful Our Lady Cathedral!Antwerp is a wonderful place to visit, and its Cathedral is a glorious Late Gothic repository of six centuries of Flemish artistic development. Under construction for more than 200 years, it endured a catastrophic fire, Calvinist iconoclasm, gutting by French revolutionaries, and, in the 20th century, wartime bombings. But entering Antwerp's restored Cathedral today takes one's breath away!
Jane's engaging narration considers the extraordinary art and unique architectural features of Our Lady Cathedral in the context of Antwerp's tumultuous history. Listen while you look at:
Four altarpieces by Peter Paul Rubens, two of which are considered to be among his masterpieces
Other altarpieces by important Flemish painters, like Francken, De Vos, Van Veen (plus a small Murillo)
From the 14th century: wall paintings, a carved stone altar, and an exquisite marble Madonna and Child
Stained glass windows dating from as early as 1503
Exceptional 17th-century funerary sculpture and oak furnishings
19th-century Neo-Gothic artistryYou'll come away with a deep and lasting appreciation of the art, politics, culture, and religion that have intertwined over centuries to create the unique character of this gem of a city and its remarkable cathedral.The 23-minute "Slice of History" background context segment is meant for advance listening, to enhance your appreciation of what you'll see when you get there. Listen to it before leaving home, on the plane, or with a glass of wine the night before your visit.You might take the 10-minute tour of the exterior beforehand, too. In the evening, it is brightly illuminated.
A printable six-panel PDF file includes a floor plan, audio track list, and glossary.